A KEBAB van owner has been found guilty of illegal trading in Princes Risborough - but said he is not going anywhere.

Michael Healy, from Chiltern Avenue, High Wycombe was found guilty of street trading without a licence and providing hot food and drink after 11pm without a licence.

He was fined £1250 and ordered to pay £1,471 court costs at Wycombe Magistrates Court.

But he said: "As far as I am concerned we are still trading there. I will not leave Risborough.”

Mr Healy was given an enforcement exercise last August for the kebab van in Bell Street, Princes Risborough following information from Thames Valley Police and complaints from residents.

But Mr Healy will appeal the decision as he said he is not doing anything wrong and has received 700 signatures from residents who want him to stay.

Anyone who wants to sell hot food and drink after 11pm must apply for a premises licence but Mr Healy said he was trading during these hours for charity, which he said makes him exempt.

He said: “I was raising money for Meningitis UK before and I have a letter from them to confirm that.”

Mr Healy added he has now set up a charitable company called Late Night Refreshment Licence to serve food after 11pm. Proceeds will go the homeless, he said.

He said: “We will be employing secretaries and administrators. I am putting something back into Risborough.

“As the company is not earning more than £5,000 a year we do not have to register with the Charities' Commission.”

Mr Healy bought the land in Princes Risborough and said as he is charging one penny to customers who come onto the land during the day he is not breaking the law.

He said in this case trading on private land does not need consent.

He added: “The council are hell-bent in trying to disrupt my business.

“By them bringing about the court action it does not mean I can't trade there full stop."

Mr Healy had been warned by WDC that they considered him to be trading illegally and asked him to attend an interview to discuss the situation. Mr Healy said he could not make the date they suggested and it was not rearranged.

Spokesman for Wycombe District Council Ben Jackson said: “All of the evidence was considered by the magistrates and they considered that what was provided by Mr Healy did not amount to a defence.

“Mr Healy has the right to appeal to the crown court.”